I trust that it is obvious to the reader from the above statements, that they commit a great error, who suppose that the fact, that a remedy is composed entirely of vegetable substances, is a sure proof that it is innocuous, and that it can be used freely without any discrimination. And yet it is a very prevalent error, to which many lives are constantly sacrificed, to say nothing of the multitudes of cases, in which, though death does not occur, injury is inflicted in various degrees upon the system. A single example will suffice. A case is detailed in the Boston Medical Magazine of a female, who had a medicine administered by a botanic empiric, which was composed in part of elaterium. Her life was destroyed in thirty-six hours by this _vegetable_ remedy given her by this denouncer of ‘mineral poisons’ and ‘mineral doctors!’ Lobelia, it is claimed by the Thompsonians, is not a poison. I have often heard them say that there was no danger from it, taken at any time and in any quantity. Some have so said under oath. The vulgar name by which this article has always been known, Indian Tobacco, given to it from the similarity of its effects to those of common tobacco, show what its character is by general acknowledgment. Thompsonians however assert that it is not a narcotic; but every physician, who has had Thompsonian quacks in his neighborhood has occasionally witnessed effects ordinarily considered narcotic, produced by this remedy. These effects, it is proper to remark, do not commonly appear to any great amount, because vomiting occurs so soon, and the medicine is thrown off with the contents of the stomach. But when an ineffectual retching occurs instead of free vomiting, and dose after dose is given, narcosis is certain to supervene in a considerable degree, and sometimes it proves fatal. This is especially apt to take place, when the system from any cause is already in a very depressed state. Several trials have occurred of Thompsonian practitioners charged with killing their patients under such circumstances. Two cases are reported in Guy’s Forensic Medicine, in which the accused were found guilty by the jury, and the penalty of the law was inflicted. The idea of Thompsonians and of some others in regard to poisons is this—that there are some medicines which always do harm, and these are poisons; while there are some other medicines which always do good, and these are not poisons. The medicines used by the ‘regulars’ Thompsonians consider as belonging to the first class, especially their _mineral_ remedies; while the vegetable medicines, which they use in their practice, they claim to be of the latter class. Let us look at the true meaning of the word poison. Webster’s definition of it is a correct one. He says it is ‘a substance, which, when taken into the stomach, mixed with the blood, or applied to the skin or flesh, proves fatal or deleterious.’